[File download to our Powerpoint presentation.] Introduction
Japanese game shows are a major part of Japanese television, falling into the 'variety' genre. They are well known for their crazy objectives that contestants are forced to contend with and the absurdity of their nature. Many involve a physical aspect (Takeshi's Castle/MXC) where contestants go through a specific obstacle course to claim victory. Although, considering how crazy Japanese game shows really are, the obstacles are most likely ridiculously difficult to get through and horrendously absurd. However, that's the beauty of it. Japanese game shows are made to make you laugh. At their heart, Japanese game shows exist to break the norm of day and to provide a sense of true entertainment. Entertainment that gives a whole new meaning to the word, "schadenfreude".
Japanese game shows may also be called variety shows and consist of celebrities and comedians as contestants, as well.
Hosts
Compared to other game show hosts, Japanese Game Show hosts seem to be the most energetic and boundless show overseers in the world of television. Many are comedic or are famous comedians themselves, much like in the Americas (ie. Drew Carrey, Wayne Brady). It is typical to see a co-host anchoring alongside the main host as well, sometimes acting as a foil or the opposite to a "serious" host (ie. MXC's Vic Romano and Kenny Blankenship or Majide's（まじで）host and Judge Bob). Hosts must be able to connect to the live-stage audience and pepper them up to cheer for the contestants.
In some circumstances however, the hosts are merely announcers and instructors. The contestants and challenges speak for themselves in this case, bringing in the truckload of insanity instead.
Popular Game/Variety Shows Takeshi's Castle (風雲！たけし城,: Fūun! Takeshi-jō) Literally translated as: Operation! Takeshi Castle)
Takeshi's Castle is well known to American viewers as MXC: Most Extreme Elmination Challenge. However, the dubbed series does not exactly follow the same premise of Takeshi's Castle. The premise being that the contestants have to pass through multiple challenges to get through to the count of the castle: Takeshi Kitano. The obstacles are mostly physical and seemingly at times, impossible. At the end, the remaining contestants have to fire lasers at a light sensitive target on Takeshi's cart. Once the cart is deactivated, the castle is considered taken and the contestant who hit the target wins 1, 000, 000 yen which was equaled to $8000 back then.
Originally, Takeshi wanted the show to be like a live-action Super Mario game. Essentially, it still does resemble one.
One of the comedic hosts of Takeshi's Castle.
Brain Wall (Known to North Americans as Human Tetris or Hole in the Wall)
Though not specifically a game show, it is a component of the game show: とんねるずのみなさんのおかげでした, "Tunnels Thanks to Everyone". In this, contestants are forced to contort their bodies to get through shapes cut into stryofoam walls which are rushed towards them. If they fail to get through the wall or fall into the green liquid behind them, they earn no points for their team.
This part of the show has become popularized by YouTube and other video sharing sites and even inspired an American game show, as well.
CAN HE MAKE IT? CAN HE MAKE IT!?
No. Gaki no Tsukai (がき の つかい)Proposed English name: Don't Laugh in High School
A very popular variety show or a segment of a variety show known by YouTube uploaders, this show forces a few celebrity/comedians onto a high school. This may seem odd, but it gets even odder. Throughout the course of the day, the contestants are not allowed to laugh at anything they see or listen while the show does its best to make the celebrities laugh. Whether it be via PA, school lessons, teachers, odd happenings in washrooms, everything is done to ensure laughter. But at what cost? If the contestants do laugh, they get pulled aside and are punished for their giddyness with a thorough smack of a bamboo sword/kendo sword to the rear.
These celebrities and comedians are also shown in the marshmallow eating segment of this variety as shown below.
GET TO THE CHOPPA. SASUKE(さすけ) SASUKE is a sports entertainment television special which focuses heavily on the four physical challenges laid out for 100 contestants. This is a very famous series in Japan and airs only around two times per year. Each special lasts for around 3 hours. Many Japanese comedians and entertainers have been contestants on this game show as well as athletes from around the world.
Exposure to North American Audiences & "Spin-Offs" MXC
The dubbed over version of Takeshi's Castle, this 'spin-off' has achieved great success and a cult following after its airing. Hosted by "Vic Romano" and "Kenny Blankenship" (dubbed names for Takeshi Kitano and Higashi Sonomanma). Not a lot of effort is made to synch the voice actors' voices with the lips of the contestants, but all that adds to the comedy of MXC.
They use lots of footage of contestants in midst of challenges, capitalizing on the ones that fail. Of course, schadenfreude prevails here and a highlight of the show is called, "Most Painful Eliminations of the Day" narrated by Kenny Blankenship.
Like the captain says, "GET IT ON"!
One of the comedic hosts of MXC.
Wait, you look familiar. Have I seen you before?
I Survived a Japanese Game Show (Show-within-a-show: Majide まじで)
A made for American audiences game/reality show, I Survived a Japanese Game Show is inspired by the many game shows in the Japanese's television repertoire. With the help from Japanese producers, a show-within-a-show was created called Majide in Japan where the contestants are flown to participate in.
Don't drop that Panda.-- No, actually do it.
Wipeout
Wipeout can be compared to many other Japanese game shows and the creation of this American counterpart can be attributed to the success of MXC. Another physical challenge oriented show, Wipeout has contestants pitted against each other to see who can finish the presented challenges in the fasted time. The person who makes it and finishes the last obstacle in the fastest time wins.
There has been controversy though. Japanese broadcaster TBS filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against ABC saying that the show was a copycat of its several Japanese game shows.
Hole in the Wall
On the Fox television network, Hole in the Wall is inspired by Brain Wall and copies many of its elements. It is still about styrofoam walls with cut outs in the middle rushing towards anxiety ridden contestants waiting to see if they can pass through the shapes. There is still a pool of water behind the contestant for him or her to fall into and there are still two teams.
Basically, it's just an American version of Brain Wall.
Video Clips
Description: Tongue-twister fun. Slip on your syllables and you get sacked.
Description: Brain Wall. Get through the shapes in the styrofoam wall and win points for your team. Honestly, it's that easy.
No, actually we jest.
Description: Cross the track covered with obstacles to the finish line on a unicycle. If you don't make it, you'll fall into a pool of water.
Description: Eat marshmallows while an elastic band straps you against the wall. Easy again, right?
No, it's not. We've been through this.
Japanese Game Shows
(A cultural project by ジェニファー ライリー & ブレンダン ハ)Introduction
Japanese game shows are a major part of Japanese television, falling into the 'variety' genre. They are well known for their crazy objectives that contestants are forced to contend with and the absurdity of their nature. Many involve a physical aspect (Takeshi's Castle/MXC) where contestants go through a specific obstacle course to claim victory. Although, considering how crazy Japanese game shows really are, the obstacles are most likely ridiculously difficult to get through and horrendously absurd. However, that's the beauty of it. Japanese game shows are made to make you laugh. At their heart, Japanese game shows exist to break the norm of day and to provide a sense of true entertainment. Entertainment that gives a whole new meaning to the word, "schadenfreude".
Japanese game shows may also be called variety shows and consist of celebrities and comedians as contestants, as well.
Hosts
Compared to other game show hosts, Japanese Game Show hosts seem to be the most energetic and boundless show overseers in the world of television. Many are comedic or are famous comedians themselves, much like in the Americas (ie. Drew Carrey, Wayne Brady). It is typical to see a co-host anchoring alongside the main host as well, sometimes acting as a foil or the opposite to a "serious" host (ie. MXC's Vic Romano and Kenny Blankenship or Majide's（まじで）host and Judge Bob). Hosts must be able to connect to the live-stage audience and pepper them up to cheer for the contestants.
In some circumstances however, the hosts are merely announcers and instructors. The contestants and challenges speak for themselves in this case, bringing in the truckload of insanity instead.
Popular Game/Variety Shows
Takeshi's Castle (風雲！たけし城,: Fūun! Takeshi-jō ) Literally translated as: Operation! Takeshi Castle)
Takeshi's Castle is well known to American viewers as MXC: Most Extreme Elmination Challenge. However, the dubbed series does not exactly follow the same premise of Takeshi's Castle. The premise being that the contestants have to pass through multiple challenges to get through to the count of the castle: Takeshi Kitano. The obstacles are mostly physical and seemingly at times, impossible. At the end, the remaining contestants have to fire lasers at a light sensitive target on Takeshi's cart. Once the cart is deactivated, the castle is considered taken and the contestant who hit the target wins 1, 000, 000 yen which was equaled to $8000 back then.
Originally, Takeshi wanted the show to be like a live-action Super Mario game. Essentially, it still does resemble one.
Brain Wall (Known to North Americans as Human Tetris or Hole in the Wall)
Though not specifically a game show, it is a component of the game show: とんねるずのみなさんのおかげでした, "Tunnels Thanks to Everyone". In this, contestants are forced to contort their bodies to get through shapes cut into stryofoam walls which are rushed towards them. If they fail to get through the wall or fall into the green liquid behind them, they earn no points for their team.
This part of the show has become popularized by YouTube and other video sharing sites and even inspired an American game show, as well.
CAN HE MAKE IT? CAN HE MAKE IT!?
No.
Gaki no Tsukai (がき の つかい) Proposed English name: Don't Laugh in High School
A very popular variety show or a segment of a variety show known by YouTube uploaders, this show forces a few celebrity/comedians onto a high school. This may seem odd, but it gets even odder. Throughout the course of the day, the contestants are not allowed to laugh at anything they see or listen while the show does its best to make the celebrities laugh. Whether it be via PA, school lessons, teachers, odd happenings in washrooms, everything is done to ensure laughter. But at what cost? If the contestants do laugh, they get pulled aside and are punished for their giddyness with a thorough smack of a bamboo sword/kendo sword to the rear.
These celebrities and comedians are also shown in the marshmallow eating segment of this variety as shown below.
SASUKE (さすけ)
SASUKE is a sports entertainment television special which focuses heavily on the four physical challenges laid out for 100 contestants. This is a very famous series in Japan and airs only around two times per year. Each special lasts for around 3 hours. Many Japanese comedians and entertainers have been contestants on this game show as well as athletes from around the world.
Exposure to North American Audiences & "Spin-Offs"
MXC
The dubbed over version of Takeshi's Castle, this 'spin-off' has achieved great success and a cult following after its airing. Hosted by "Vic Romano" and "Kenny Blankenship" (dubbed names for Takeshi Kitano and Higashi Sonomanma ). Not a lot of effort is made to synch the voice actors' voices with the lips of the contestants, but all that adds to the comedy of MXC.
They use lots of footage of contestants in midst of challenges, capitalizing on the ones that fail. Of course, schadenfreude prevails here and a highlight of the show is called, "Most Painful Eliminations of the Day" narrated by Kenny Blankenship.
Like the captain says, "GET IT ON"!
Wait, you look familiar. Have I seen you before?
I Survived a Japanese Game Show (Show-within-a-show: Majide まじで)
A made for American audiences game/reality show, I Survived a Japanese Game Show is inspired by the many game shows in the Japanese's television repertoire. With the help from Japanese producers, a show-within-a-show was created called Majide in Japan where the contestants are flown to participate in.
Wipeout
Wipeout can be compared to many other Japanese game shows and the creation of this American counterpart can be attributed to the success of MXC. Another physical challenge oriented show, Wipeout has contestants pitted against each other to see who can finish the presented challenges in the fasted time. The person who makes it and finishes the last obstacle in the fastest time wins.
There has been controversy though. Japanese broadcaster TBS filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against ABC saying that the show was a copycat of its several Japanese game shows.
Hole in the Wall
On the Fox television network, Hole in the Wall is inspired by Brain Wall and copies many of its elements. It is still about styrofoam walls with cut outs in the middle rushing towards anxiety ridden contestants waiting to see if they can pass through the shapes. There is still a pool of water behind the contestant for him or her to fall into and there are still two teams.
Basically, it's just an American version of Brain Wall.
Video Clips
Description: Tongue-twister fun. Slip on your syllables and you get sacked.
Description: Brain Wall. Get through the shapes in the styrofoam wall and win points for your team. Honestly, it's that easy.
No, actually we jest.
Description: Cross the track covered with obstacles to the finish line on a unicycle. If you don't make it, you'll fall into a pool of water.
Description: Eat marshmallows while an elastic band straps you against the wall. Easy again, right?
No, it's not. We've been through this.
Links to Additional Information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_game_shows (Lists wikipedia pages to many popular Japanese Game Shows)
http://abc.go.com/summer/isurvivedajapanesegame/index (I Survived a Japanese Game Show ABC website)
http://www.citytv.com/micro/japanesegameshow/index.asp (More info on I Survived a Japanese Game Show)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/208243/my_top_10_favorite_youtube_japanese.html (Associated Content article)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25338239/ (Msnbc article about Japanese Game Show influence on our TV)